Brian Keenan writes songs that connect the two places he's known best, his upbringing in upstate NY, and his current residence in Brooklyn. The high lonesome country sound grounds the sonic landscape, while the live-fast die-young energy pushes the tempos and sparkles on the surface.
Since 2003 he's been the singer/songwriter of cosmic Americana outfit Proud Simon, who have released 3 full-length records and 3 EPs, most notably 2008's Night of Criminals which allowed the band to play all over the country and reach a wide audience. The band's revolving lineup has included well over 30 players, harnessing the wealth of talent of the NYC community.
2011 marks new territory for Keenan, who will release his debut solo album, Today This Year. He once again sought the help of producer Jamie Candiloro (Ryan Adams, R.E.M., Willie Nelson) to track the record at legendary Avatar Studios in New York City.
Today This Year was recorded live by a 9-piece band in Studio B, where Candiloro focused Keenan's sprawling arrangements into a warm, bubbling mixture. Harnessing Keenan's vocal acrobatics and softening the harmonies with vocalist Hope Tomaselli, the record is bursting at the seams with layered voices. There is a tinge of an electronic pulse, as many of the arrangements began as synthesized loops by Keenan. The words are personal accounts balanced between the mournful and triumphant, simple in delivery but rife with elaborate depiction of Keenan's experiences.
With the help of the powerful backing band, Keenan and Candiloro yielded a confident, thick and focused set of songs that encompass two years of writing developed and edited to ten final compositions. Today This Year is an album with the highest of highs and the lowest of lows, a sonically balanced piece that rings true to the spaces it seeks to encapsulate. In this record, Keenan pays homage to the songwriters that have influenced him - Elvis Presley, Bruce Springsteen, Buddy Holly, and Marshall Crenshaw - while maintaining a sound all his own.
